The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth

Synopsis

Based on the book by Eoin Colfer. Will is nine. And as family holidays go, this one isn't very promising. I mean, would you want to spend three weeks in a cramped caravan by the sea with your four brothers? But this is not an ordinary seaside town. Hundreds of years ago it was terrorised by the legendary Captain Crow, a cut-throat pirate who lured innocent sailors to their certain deaths in search of treasure. Until, that is, he was killed - by a nine year old cabin boy. Today the fearsome pirate's spirit still haunts the area and has a particular grievance against nine year old boys. Suddenly Will's holiday is looking a bit too exciting... Join Will, his family and a motley crew of pirates in a thrilling new adaptation devised by Matthew Lenton, Artistic Director of Vanishing Point.

Our Review:

4 April 2012

Pirates are back in town but what should be a funny, lively adventure of ghostly pirates, sibling rivalry and caravan holidays is currently misfiring on quite a few cylinders.

The hero of the story is nine-year-old Will who recounts an unexpectedly adventurous holiday spent at his parent’s cramped caravan with his three brothers. The eldest is always playing tricks on him and trying to scare him with blood-curdling ghost tales such as the one about Captain Crow who 300 years ago lured ships onto the rocks until he was killed by a cabin boy. Now he and his ghostly crew haunt the rocks seeking revenge on the cabin boy - or any nine-year-old they happen to stumble across...

The cast of five play all the parts and the script is cleverly written to facilitate this and it does keep the audience in suspense. But despite this and the help of superbly atmospheric set, lighting and sound effects the production limps along when it should romp.

[Alasdair Hankins...

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